This invention relates to a method and apparatus for creation of moire fabric. Traditional moire fabrics are defined as a wavy or watered effect on textile fabric, especially a corded fabric of silk, rayon, or one of the manufactured fibers. An excellent example of a corded fabric would be a faille. Failles are generally defined as having fine, bright, continuous filament warp yarns, coarse spun filling yarns, and a plain weave. This creates a noticeable ribbed effect in the filling direction. Other fabrics can be utilized with typically lesser results, however, a visible ribbed effect should be present in the fabric's filling.
Moire fabric falls into one of two categories. The first is an uncontrolled moire where the filling ribs of one layer of fabric are intentionally skewed with respect to the second layer of fabric prior to applying pressure to both layers of fabric. This will result in a significant increase in the number of filling ribs that cross with the associated increase in vertical moire lines. This is very undesirable since the appearance of the moire fabric will never be consistent and will vary from batch to batch. Traditionally, controlled moire fabric is formed by selectively distorting or skewing small portions of the filling ribs so that the filling ribs only cross in selective areas. The most common method is the Francais bar method in which ribbed woven fabric is dragged over a stationary bar, which has a series of knobs which are spaced at desired intervals. This is performed at very high tension. The knobs distort the filling into a bow wherever they touch the fabric. When two pieces of this fabric are subjected to pressure, a traditional controlled moire will result that is typically found in upholstery, drapery, apparel, and other end uses. Problems with this type of moire patterning include the fact that the pattern is repeatedly fixed and dragging under high tension can damage and/or destroy the fabric.
Another traditional method utilized in creating controlled moire fabric is the "scratch" method. This is accomplished by means of a resilient roll having the desired designs embossed thereon. These designs may include flowers, geometries, and so forth. While the fabric is in contact with this embossed roll, it is "scratched" with a series of steel blades which distort the filling yarns of the fabric according to the pattern embossed on the roll. Upon applying pressure to two pieces of this treated fabric, a moire pattern is produced. Again, there is the problem of the destruction or damage to yarns by the steel blades and a fixedly repeatable pattern. This "scratch" method produces very poor results with a large quantity of broken filaments. The blades actually only contact the warp yarns thus producing a large amount of broken filaments with only minimal movement of the filling yarn. It is the movement of the filling yarn that is the desired result. Furthermore, by examination of faille fabric, the filling is virtually covered by warp yarns and thus it is very difficult to move the filling yarns by mechanical means. Also, this "scratch" method creates fuss on the surface of the fabric that results in less shine and poor moire patterns.
Yet another traditional method of producing a controlled moire is by that found in U.S. Pat. No. 2,448,145, which discloses the selective application of water to fabric with a noticeable ribbed effect in the filling direction. The fabric is then placed under high tension and then dried. This will distort the filling yarns in the wet areas differently than the filling yarns in the dry areas. Again, upon applying pressure to two pieces of this treated fabric, a moire pattern is produced. A severe problem with this technology is that it would be very difficult to selectively wet yarns while leaving adjacent yarns dry for a very precise pattern. Furthermore, stretching under high tension can severely weaken or even destroy filling yarns. Furthermore, this method is deficient in that it only works on fibers that absorb large amounts of water such as cotton, silk, and so forth. Each pattern requires a specific patterning roll or screen which only changes the pick count slightly in the areas treated with water. While this may produce some beating when the fabrics are sandwiched and calendered, this does not produce a true moire pattern because the filling is not distorted with bow or skew.
The present invention solves these problems in a manner not disclosed in the known prior art.